Aster plant named ‘Zanaslisu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Aster plant named ‘Zanaslisu’, characterized by its compact, upright to slightly spreading and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; freely flowering habit; double-type inflorescences with light violet blue-colored ray florets; good postproduction longevity and good container performance.

Botanical designation: Symphyotrichum novi-belgii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZANASLISU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Asterplant, botanically known as Symphyotrichum novi-belgii and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Zanaslisu’.

The new Aster plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact Aster plants with freelybranching habit and attractive double-type inflorescences.

The new Aster originated from an open-pollination in September, 2012 inRijsenhout, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Symphyotrichumnovi-belgii identified as code number 1175, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Symphyotrichum novi-belgiias the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aster plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inRijsenhout, The Netherlands in April, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aster plant by terminal vegetativecuttings was first conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in May,2013. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Aster plant are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Aster have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Zanaslisu’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Zanaslisu’ as a new and distinct Aster plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to slightly spreading and mounding plant        habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Double-type inflorescences with light violet blue-colored ray        florets.    -   6. Good postproduction longevity and good container performance.

Plants of the new Aster differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the ray floret color as plants of the female parentselection have white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of Symphyotrichumnovi-belgii ‘Dasgra’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,828. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Aster differ from plants of‘Dasgra’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster are more freely flowering than plants        of ‘Dasgra’.    -   2. Plants of the new Aster and ‘Dasgra’ differ in ray floret        color as plants of ‘Dasgra’ have dark violet-colored ray        florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Aster plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possibleto obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Aster plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Zanaslisu’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Zanaslisu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the autumn in 12-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of commercial Aster production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18.5° C. to 22°C., night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 21° C. and light levelsranged from 3,500 to 7,000 lux. Plants were pinched one time and wereten weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Zanaslisu’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Symphyotrichum novi-belgii identified as code number 1175,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Symphyotrichum            novi-belgii, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About nine to            ten days at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, autumn.—About eleven            to twelve days at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 155D and 199D in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous double-type potted Aster            plant; compact, upright to slightly spreading and mounding            plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely            branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; about            four primary branches each with about two to three secondary            laterals developing per plant, pinching enhances branching            potential.        -   Plant height.—About 23 cm to 25 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 25 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10 cm to 11 cm. Diameter:            About 1.5 cm. Internode length: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Aspect:            About 35° to 40° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Semi-glossy. Color, developing:            Close to 141C. Color, developed: Close to 138B; at the            internodes, close to 138C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 4.8 cm to 5.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 8 mm to 10 mm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Semi-glossy.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 147D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 138A; venation, 148D.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Type and arrangement.—Double-type (or decorative)            inflorescence form with lanceolate-shaped ray florets;            inflorescences borne on terminal and axillary branches above            and beyond the foliar plane; ray florets arranged            acropetally on a capitulum.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower            during the autumn in The Netherlands; plants begin flowering            about six weeks after planting.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good            substance for about four weeks on the plant; inflorescences            persistent.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with            about five to six inflorescences per lateral branch.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm            to 6 mm. Shape: Globular. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster:            Semi-glossy. Color: Close to 145D.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.5 cm. Diameter of disc: Disc florets not observed on            plants of the new Aster.        -   Receptacles.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Conical. Color: Close to 138D.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 100 to 110            arranged in about seven to eight whorls. Length: About 1.5            cm to 1.8 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm to 3 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Moderately glossy. Orientation:            Initially upright to semi-upright to eventually close to            perpendicular to the peduncle. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 91C. When opening, lower surface: Close to            84D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 91B; color            becoming closer to 91C with development. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 84D; color becoming closer to 85D with            development.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 45 per            inflorescence arranged in about four whorls. Length: About            3 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Apex:            Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Semi-glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Color, lower surface: Close to 138A.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 2 cm. Diameter,            terminal peduncle: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Moderately glossy. Color: Close to            138B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed on plants of            the new Aster. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils per floret:            One. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm            to 2 mm. Stigma shape: Bifurcate. Stigma color: Close to            154D. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 145D.            Ovary color: Close to 145D.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Aster.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Aster have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Aster    plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Aster have been observed to    tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 32° C. to    33° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Aster plant named ‘Zanaslisu’ asillustrated and described.